Forbes also rates hotels? What do you think?

Recently, I met and chatted with the heads of many large Japanese hotel groups, and I heard several of them mention that one of their luxury hotels was rated 4 stars by Forbes.

When did Forbes start rating hotels? What is the standard?

Forbes Travel Guide is owned by Mobil Oil. As early as 1958, the company began assigning employees to evaluate restaurants, hotels and spas. In 2009, due to the addition of business partner Forbes, the original name of Mobile Stars was changed to Forbus Travel Guide. Although not as famous as Michelin, Forbes Guide is more authoritative in terms of hotel reviews. This independent rating company's slogan about "we verify luxury" makes it clear at a glance: only luxury facilities can make the list.

So, how many stars does Forbes Guide have? How to evaluate?

This guide discards 1 and 2-star ratings for hotels, and only recommends 3-star hotels. Focus only on high-end and luxury hotels. Regarding the five-star rating, Forbes stated that "we are very stingy on the five-star rating" and can only give "flawless, unremarkable hotels with the highest level of guest service" (relentless). , seamless commitment to the highest guest standard).

Unlike the spontaneous comments from OTA users, Forbes' investigators will travel to various parts of the world to personally inspect each facility using up to 800 independent and objective criteria, and strictly score to determine the rating.

At the same time, unlike the Michelin Guide, the Forbes Guide provides detailed reasons why it is included in the list. For example:

Is the food presentation creative?

Is it possible to serve a mixed drink requested by a guest that is not on the wine list?

Is there valet parking service?

Wait for very detailed standards.

Due to my own work, I am also very curious to see how many hotels in Japan are on the Forbes 4-star or 5-star list? (Note that Forbes’ stars are not our conventional definition of hotel stars. This big list itself is a rating of luxury hotels.

Those on the list are basically 5 stars or higher according to the conventional definition)

Tokyo: (alphabetical order)

5 stars

Mandarin Oriental Tokyo (Japan) Bridge) Mandarin Oriental Tokyo

Palace Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo Station/Imperial Palace) Palace Hotel Tokyo

The Peninsula Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo Station/Imperial Palace) The Peninsula Tokyo

Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo (Tokyo Station) Shangri-La Hotel Tokyo

4 stars

Aman Hotel (Tokyo Station) Aman Tokyo (Is it unexpected?)

Adachi Andaz Tokyo Toranomon Hills

The Capital Hotel Tokyo

Conrad Tokyo (Shiodome) Tokyo

Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Marunouchi (Tokyo Station)

Grand Hyatt Tokyo (Roppongi)

Chunsanso Tokyo (Mejiro) Chinzanso Tokyo

Hotel New Otani Tokyo Executive House Zen

Imperial Hotel Tokyo

Park Hyatt Tokyo (Shinjuku) Park Hyatt Tokyo

The Prince Galary Tokyo Kioicho, A luxury Collection Hotel

The Prince Sakura Tower Tokyo (Shinagawa) Tokyo, Autogragh Collection

The Ritz-Carlton Tokyo (Roppongi)

The Tokyo Station Hotel (Tokyo Station) The Tokyo Station Hotel

Kyoto

Five-star

The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto (Roppongi)

Four-star

Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto< /p>

Suiran Kyoto, A Luxury Collection Hotel

Osaka

Five-star vacancy

Four-star

Liz Carr The Ritz-Carlton Osaka (Osaka Station/Umeda)

The St. Regis Osaka (Tanimachi)

After comparison, there are 7 hotels in Hong Kong on the list with 5 stars , there are five in Beijing and three in Guangzhou, as expected: Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton.

After reading this list, you know that the review standards are very strict. The overall feeling is still dominated by familiar international brands. Not many Japanese local brands are on the list. Those that are on the list must be outstanding, but it does not mean that those not on the list are not good enough. Maybe the assessors have never heard of it or been there, or maybe there is a certain gap between Western standards and local standards. After all, as a local hotel, in addition to foreign tourists, local guests account for the majority, and the services provided will also vary according to the actual needs of the main source of guests staying.

There are more and more forms of tourism. In addition to luxury, niche independent hotels, inns, apartments, and even wild luxury camping hotels are also constantly appearing. Try a different experience every time, and maybe the journey will be more colorful. .